THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR JUL 14 - 20 

• University of New Mexico Foundation

Mandelman + Ribak @ Modern West Fine Art
No location in the American Southwest is more synonymous with art than Taos, New Mexico. Beginning with the launch of the Taos Society of Artists in the early 20th century, and including the influence of art patron Mabel Dodge Luhan, the stage was set for a post-World War II influx of creative minds leading to an informal school known as the Taos Moderns. And notable among them were the New York-expatriate husband-and-wife team of Beatrice Mandelman and Louis Ribak, who continued the tradition of being inspired by their desert surroundings.

Modern West Fine Art presents a showcase of works from the University of New Mexico Foundation's Mandelman-Ribak Collection, capturing more than 50 years of work in the lives of the two late artists, including some that have never before been publicly exhibited. Mandelman created more than 4,000 paintings in her lifetime, focused on light and shape. Her influence permeated the Taos colony—including her husband Ribak, who had worked on social realist works like the celebrated Diego Rivera Rockefeller Center mural before relocating with Mandelman to New Mexico in the 1940s and moving into abstraction in a variety of media ("Still Life," oil on masonite, is pictured)—as well as founding the Taos Valley Art School.

Mandelman + Ribak shows at Modern West Fine Art (412 S. 700 West) July 15 – Sept. 10. The exhibit appears in partnership with the Southern Utah Museum of Art, which is also showing works by Mandelman and Ribak now through Sept. 24. Visit modernwestgallery.com for gallery operating hours and other information. (Scott Renshaw)

• via Facebook

Antelope By Moonlight Ride
The Great Salt Lake has been in the news for pretty unfortunate reasons, mostly related to its record low levels in the midst of super-drought. Yet occasionally, there are reasons to think of it in a less alarming light. That's what will happen when cyclists head for the middle of the lake for a beloved annual event where the light is definitely not alarming—and, in fact, barely visible.

The Antelope By Moonlight Ride once again invites visitors and their bikes for a unique experience of a late-night trek across Antelope Island. The event will be piggybacking on the blockbuster success of Top Gun: Maverick with its 2022 theme "Ride Into the Moonlit Sky," complete with a recognizably winged logo on the official T-shirt and prizes for costumes and bike decorations. On this third night of a supermoon, registered participants will take on the 24-mile route beginning from the Antelope Island marina to historic Fielding Garr Ranch and back, starting at 10 p.m. But even before that, you can enjoy a pre-ride party with vendors, food trucks, live entertainment and judging of the contest winners, beginning with early check-in time at 7 p.m.

Antelope By Moonlight takes place on Antelope Island on Friday, July 15, with registration cost of $40 for adults, $35 for individually riding children ages 5-12, and free for passengers age 6 and under. No on-site registration will be available, so all registration must be complete by 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 14. All participants must have a helmet, headlamp and taillight. Visit daviscountyutah.gov/moonlight for registration and additional event details. (SR)

• Joe De Santis

The Masked Singer Live on Stage
Somehow, Fox's reality competition series The Masked Singer already feels like a fixture in the TV landscape, despite the fact that it only launched in early 2019. For Utah residents, that sense of its omnipresence can perhaps be attributed to Donny Osmond being part of the original group of mysteriously-costumed celebrities, performing songs and trying to get the celebrity judges and audience members both to appreciate their singing, and guess their identities. The format has had a few missteps—the less said about the inclusion of a certain former New York City mayor, treason apologist and hair-dye enthusiast, the better—but it has remained popular as a combination of entertainment and guess-that-voice mystery.

That format gets a bit of a tweaking in the touring production of The Masked Singer Live on Stage. Season 6 contestant Natasha Bedingfield hosts a music-filled event that includes appearances by several familiar, distinctive costumes like the Queen of Hearts, Robot, Taco and more (though not necessarily with the original singer who inhabited them). And in a twist on the show's on-screen format, a local VIP will appear in masked form, allowing for a little bit of audience participation as everyone tries to guess what famous Utahan is belting out tunes beneath odd attire.

The Masked Singer Live on Stage comes to the Eccles Theater Delta Performance Hall (131 S. Main St.) on Tuesday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m., with tickets running $34.25 - $504.25. Live at the Eccles currently does not require proof of vaccination, negative test or masking at their events. Visit live-at-the-eccles.com for tickets and additional event information. (SR)

The King's English Local Author Showcase
Among the many, many reasons to support your local independent booksellers is the support than they give right back to the local literary community. This week, The King's English Bookshop hosts one of its regular Local Author Showcases, introducing three Utah writers representing three very different kinds of books.

On the fiction side, there's David Bench's Hawking Highway, which ventures into science-fiction thriller based in Utah's unique geography. It tells the story of a team of geologists who uncover something unexpected in Southern Utah: the contents of a meteorite that hit the planet millions of years ago, and whose contents contain a never-before-encountered power.

For non-fiction enthusiasts, you can venture in two fairly distinct directions. Al Forsyth's More Stars Than Grains of Sand: Wonders, Wonderment—and Religion takes readers on a journey through strange-but-true facts about our world and our universe, providing a surprising sense of perspective on human existence. And Liars, Saints and Sinners introduces the strange family history of author Dawn LaRue Stevenson, whose exploration of her roots uncovered unexpected details about the mysterious life of her father, connections with previously-unknown relatives, the story of her uncle's life as a notorious gangster and more.

Join these local authors at The King's English Bookshop (1511 S. 1500 East) on Wednesday, July 20 from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. This free, in-person event will be held outdoors on the King's English patio; places in the signing line will be reserved for those who have purchased copies of the books from the store. Visit kingsenglish.com for online book ordering and additional event information. (SR)